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My dad seems to be choking more frequently when he eats. I cut up his food into small pieces and have told him to concentrate when he eats. No talking. What does this indicate?
Call his doctor. He/she may order a swallow evaluation to dertermine the cause of his choking. My mother had a few coughing spells and had the test. She has a swallowing delay and is on pureed fooods and thickened liquids to prevent choking and aspiration Please take care of this asap. I also met with a speech theripist and a nutritionist and they were quite helpful.
Agree - ask the doctor for a swallow and speech evaluation.
If it’s a sudden decline in swallowing then I would also ask for bloodwork and Urine test as well - as sometimes even the slightest infection can affect their cognitive abilities which can create swallowing problems.
It means that more than likely his food is going into his lungs instead of his stomach. That can be very dangerous as it can lead to aspiration pneumonia, and can kill him. My husband who had vascular dementia, developed aspiration pneumonia, and almost died. His Dr. said that because he had dementia, that his brain was no longer telling his throat to close, thus allowing his food and drinks into his lungs. I would start feeding him only pureed foods for now, and thicken all of his drinks with the product Thick It. You can of course request from his Dr. that he have a swallowing evaluation done as well. Best wishes.
Oomezoome (interesting screen name!), you might want to acquaint yourself with "dysphagia", a complication which causes food to be aspirated into the lungs. We dealt with this for more than a few years.
You can learn a lot by reading up on dysphagia as well as the different levels of "mechanical soft" or pureed foods, how to make solid foods into pureed ones, which fluids are acceptable, and more.
Your best option is to request a speech pathology test to determine if, how much, and the severity of aspiration. My father's was ordered in rehab, and during a hospital stay, but also through my father's pulmonary doctor.
There were 3 different levels of dysphagia; I don't know if that's changed in the last few years though. The test, a videoscopic swallow test, determines how much food is being aspirated, and dictates the level of alternate food required. I watched all the tests from a distance, and through the detailed video of swallowing, could see when the test foods were aspirated.
These other dysphagia threads here should help you:
As mentioned, Thik-It is a powder which thickens liquids, which can be aspirated easily. (My father though it was awful and hated to drink anything thickened with it!). There are also other tricks, such as still eating ice cream, but only a tablespoon at a time, then refilling from the container (in the freezer) so that it can be swallowed before melting.
One speech therapist also suggested using applesauce on items which otherwise wouldn't be on the tolerable list. The applesauce absorbs crumbs, of cookies and toast, and apparently helps to keep them from being aspirated.
You're wise to address this now before it becomes more complicated, which it apparently does as someone ages and the ability to swallow declines.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to post. Same if you can't find the tiered level of dysphagia diets, although a speech pathologist who performs the videoscopic swallow test could easily provide these.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
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APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
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If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Let his doctor know, it sounds like time to begin to puree his meals.
If it’s a sudden decline in swallowing then I would also ask for bloodwork and Urine test as well - as sometimes even the slightest infection can affect their cognitive abilities which can create swallowing problems.
My husband who had vascular dementia, developed aspiration pneumonia, and almost died. His Dr. said that because he had dementia, that his brain was no longer telling his throat to close, thus allowing his food and drinks into his lungs.
I would start feeding him only pureed foods for now, and thicken all of his drinks with the product Thick It.
You can of course request from his Dr. that he have a swallowing evaluation done as well. Best wishes.
You can learn a lot by reading up on dysphagia as well as the different levels of "mechanical soft" or pureed foods, how to make solid foods into pureed ones, which fluids are acceptable, and more.
Your best option is to request a speech pathology test to determine if, how much, and the severity of aspiration. My father's was ordered in rehab, and during a hospital stay, but also through my father's pulmonary doctor.
There were 3 different levels of dysphagia; I don't know if that's changed in the last few years though. The test, a videoscopic swallow test, determines how much food is being aspirated, and dictates the level of alternate food required. I watched all the tests from a distance, and through the detailed video of swallowing, could see when the test foods were aspirated.
These other dysphagia threads here should help you:
https://www.agingcare.com/search?term=dysphagia+diets
This is a fairly specific decent outline of the different levels and associated acceptable foods:
https://www.gastrobh.com/contents/patient-info/dietary-education/dysphagia-5-levels
As mentioned, Thik-It is a powder which thickens liquids, which can be aspirated easily. (My father though it was awful and hated to drink anything thickened with it!). There are also other tricks, such as still eating ice cream, but only a tablespoon at a time, then refilling from the container (in the freezer) so that it can be swallowed before melting.
One speech therapist also suggested using applesauce on items which otherwise wouldn't be on the tolerable list. The applesauce absorbs crumbs, of cookies and toast, and apparently helps to keep them from being aspirated.
You're wise to address this now before it becomes more complicated, which it apparently does as someone ages and the ability to swallow declines.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to post. Same if you can't find the tiered level of dysphagia diets, although a speech pathologist who performs the videoscopic swallow test could easily provide these.